Swivel action toy figure



Oct. 8, 1957 E. ARENSTEIN SWIVEL ACTION TOY FIGURE Jiled llay 16, 1955,7 EFFREM IN VEN TOR.

ARENS'I'EIN United States Patent SWIVEL ACTION TOY FIGURE EtfremArenstein, New York, N. Y.

Application May 16, 1955, Serial No. 508,439

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-22) This invention relates to a movable figure toy, thefigure representing a person, animal or other object of a diflerentnature.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a figure toy,the upper part of the figure being readily movable by a child forassuming various poses for its amusement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a figure toy, the upperpart of the figure being swivelly and adjustably mounted so that thefigure may be made taller or shorter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a twopart plastic figuretoy that is readily assembled and disassembled and which is providedwith interlocking means for preventing accidental displacement of theparts when assembled.

Yet another object of the invention, according to a modificationthereof, is to provide a figure toy of this character with means forafiording an erratic swivel action to the movable part.

It is further proposed to provide a figure toy of this kind that issimple and durable in construction, characterized by fewness of partsthat cannot get out of order, attractive in appearance, highly efficientfor the purpose intended and that can be manufactured and sold at areasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the followingdescriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in whichthe various novel features of the invention are more particularly setforth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a figure toy embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged part elevational and part sectional view showingthe swivel connection between the upper and lower body portions of thefigure toy.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the line4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of swivelconnection.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of socketin the lower body portion of the figure toy.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a still further modificationof the invention.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 9-9of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is another view similar to Fig. 3 but showing anothermodification of the invention.

The figure or body illustrated is a representation of an Indian but itwill be understood that a figure of any other person, such as a cowboy,soldier, knight or the like, or

2,808,681 Patented Oct. 8, 1957 of any type animal, or of any otherobject may be used as desired, the figure of the Indian being forillustrative purposes only. The figure is formed of a suitable rigid,semi-rigid or flexible moldable material but is preferably formed of aplastic, such as polyethylene.

Referring to the first form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, the figure as shown comprises two separate parts, an upperbody portion 10 and a lower body portion 11. The upper body portionincludes the usual head 12, headdress 13, torso 14 and arms 15, atomahawk 16 being shown in one hand and aknife 17 in the other hand.

The lower body portion 11 includes spread apart legs 18 and hips 19, thehips being connected by a horizontal portion 20. The horizontal portion20 is formed with a fiat top side 21 and a slightly curved bottom side22. Furthermore, this horizontal connecting portion is slightly deeperat the front thereby forming a slightly shallower, buttock portion witha slightly tapered bottom edge 23.

According to the present invention, the upper portion 10 of the figureis swivelly connected to the lower portion 11 and for this purpose thetorso 14' of the upper portion 10 is formed substantially oval in crosssection with a flat bottom 24. An elongated stem or shaft 25 having asmooth surface is formed integrally with the fiat bottom 24 and projectsdownwardly from the center thereof. At its lowermost extremity, the stemis formed with a laterally extending knob or protuberance 26 projectingtoward the rear of the upper portion of the body. The horizontal portion20 connecting the hips 1.9 of the lower body portion 11 is formed with asmooth-walled passage or socket opening 27 extending through the centerthereof for loosely receiving the stem 25. When the stem is positionedin the passage 27, a slight manual turning pressure on the upper portion10 will cause it to swivel on the lower portion 11.

In assembling the figure, the stem 25 is inserted downwardly freelythrough the passage or socket 27 with its protuberance 26 facing therear of the connecting portion 20, the inherent resiliency of thematerial permitting this movement. When the protuberance reaches thebottom end of the buttock portion of the connecting portion 20, it snapsover the tapered bottom edge 23 thereof, thereby interlocking with saidedge to hold the upper and bottom portions of the figure againstaccidental displacement but permitting swiveling of the upper portion 10of the body on the lower portion 11. The sliding fit of the stem in thesocket and the bearing surfaces of the adjacent flat sides of the upperand lower body portions prevent tilting of the upper portion 10.Furthermore, when the upper portion 10 is turned slightly manually, theprotuberance 26 on the stem rides over the tapered edge 23 of theconnecting portion 20 and when the turning pressure is released, saidprotuberance tends automatically to return the upper portion 10 to itsoriginal position facing forwardly of the figure.

In Fig. 5, a modified form of swivel connection between the upper andlower body portions is shown. In this form, the torso portion 14 of theupper body portion 10' is formed with a depending stem or shaft 25'provided at the extremity of its free end with a laterally extendingbead or flange 30 extending half way around the stem. The stem is seatedin a socket opening 27 formed in the horizontal connecting portion 20'of the lower body portion 11 and terminating short of the lower end edge22' of said connecting portion where it is enlarged as indicated at 31.At its top end, the socket opening is slightly tapered as indicated at32.

In assembling this form of the invention, the beaded portion 30 is firstinserted into the top tapered end of the socket opening and forcedinwardly until the beaded portion reaches'the enlarged end 31 when itsnaps under and interlocks with the upper wall of the enlarged end 31thereby holding the body portions and'all against separation ordisplacement. The inherent resiliency of the material of the figurepermits this inward movement.

In all other respects, the form of the invention shown in Fig. .5 issimilar to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, and similarreference numerals are used to indicate similar parts, with a primeadded.

Fig. 7 shows a modified form of socket opening 27" to be used with thestem of Fig. 5. Socket opening 27 is formed with a plurality of spacedannular enlargements 33, 34 and 35 in which enlargements the beaded endof the stem 25' may be seated. By reason of this construction, the upperportion 10 of the figure may be spaced various distances away from thelower portion 11 thereby increasing the length of the figure and makingit appear taller. When the stem is seated in the outermost enlargement33, the upper portion of the figure is more or less loosely seated orunbalanced so that an erratic movement may be imparted to the upperportion 10 of the figure thereby adding to the interest in and amusementof the toy.

In Figs. 8 and 9, a modified form of stem 25" to be used with the socketopening 27" of Fig. 6 is shown. In other respects the various parts inFigs. 7, 8 and 9 may be recognized by similar reference numerals withtwo primes added. This stem 25" is'formed with opposed knobs orprotuberances 36 in place of the semi-annular head of Fig. 5. When thestem is seated in the enlargements, the protuberances 36 snap under theupper walls of the enlargements and interlock therewith for holding thebody portions against displacement.

In Fig. 10 the stem 25" is shown to be formed with an enlarged head 37whichmay be formed by swedging to prevent the stem 25 and the torso 14of the figure from becoming separated from the hips 19". In otherrespects, this form of the invention is similar to the previous formsand the various parts may be recognized by corresponding referencenumerals with three primes added.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A figure toy comprising a two-part body representing a human bodyincluding an upper body portion with head, torso and arm elements, thearm elements extending laterally, the torso being tapered inwardly, alower body portion including spaced legs, hips and a curved portionconnecting said hips, and means of swivel connection between said upperand lower body portions, including an elongated socket in the portion ofthe lower body portion connecting said hips, said socket opening intothe upper side of said connecting portion and terminating inwardly shortof the bottom side thereof, the upper end of the socket being tapered,said socket having a plurality of spaced annular enlargements therealongand at its base, and a protruding stem on the torso of the upper bodyportion loosely mounted in said socket, and a semi-annular head on thefree end of said stem adapted to seat loosely in a selected one of saidenlargements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS268,020 Howard Nov. 28, 1882 1,093,274 Lancaster Apr. 14, 1914 2,424,785Winterfeld July 28, 1947 2,623,329 Di Leva Dec. 30, 1952 2,649,806'Monaghan Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 194,858 Germany Feb. 5, 1908382,264 Germany Oct. 1, 1923 825,227 Germany Dec. 17, 1951

